Commercial buildings typically include large open office areas which are divided into smaller work spaces or workstations by any of a number of space divider and panel systems that have been developed therefor. These space divider arrangements typically employ upright space-dividing wall panels which serially connect together to subdivide the office area into a plurality of smaller workstations of desired size and configuration. Such panels are typically less than floor-to-ceiling height, and cooperate with other furniture components to define an equipped workstation. These components may include work surfaces, file cabinets, shelf units and the like which mount directly on and are supported by the wall panels, and may also include free-standing furniture components such as tables, chairs and file cabinets.
In subdividing open office areas into individual workstations, the individual wall panel assemblies have a variety of constructions. Typically, a plurality of upright space-dividing wall panels are employed which serially connect together through two-panel straight or angled connections, or through suitable three or four-panel connections, to subdivide the office area into the plurality of smaller workstations.
In one type of arrangement, a common panel construction is used to construct all of the walls of the workstations whereby each panel is individually connectable with serially adjacent panels through the aforementioned straight or corner connections. With such an arrangement, a group of workstations can be formed, for example, with a common central section of wall panels separating one row of workstations on one side of the central section from a separate row of workstations formed on the opposite side thereof.
Since each workstation usually requires power as well as communications capability such as for computers and telephones or the like, the wall panels preferably have power and telecommunications cabling within interior raceways thereof. Typically the central wall section formed by the wall panels carries the greatest number of cables since it provides access to all or most of the adjacent workstations formed on opposite sides thereof. In such an arrangement, however, the wall panels typically have a relatively narrow thickness to minimize the floor space being used and thereby have a limited cabling capacity. As a result, it may become difficult to accommodate all of the power and telecommunication cabling for all of the workstations associated with a particular group of workstations. Additionally, the central wall section also supports furniture components for the multiple workstations.
To provide an expanded capacity for the space dividing panels, a second type of space divider system is known which utilizes interconnected beams or wall panels having an increased cabling capacity to form a central divider wall. This increased capacity divider wall typically runs the length of a group of workstations and is commonly referred to as a "spine" wall. Such spine walls also provide an increased load-bearing capacity for readily supporting and mounting thereon furniture components of individual workstations.
In one known spine-type space dividing arrangement as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,155,955 (Ball et al), an office space dividing system is provided where rectangular structural frames are formed of vertical mitered stiles having a vertically enlarged horizontal base rail proximate the lower ends of the mitered stiles and additional horizontal cross rails are disposed thereabove. The frames are connected with adjacent frames such that vertical columns are formed by the mitered stiles. Cabling is accommodated within each frame such that the communication cabling extends vertically through the mitered stiles in the region between the serially-adjacent frames and horizontally through passageways formed through the mitered stiles. This arrangement, however, requires the removal of furniture components when moving these components between panels and also routes horizontal cabling through the posts which thereby makes reconfiguration of workstations more difficult.
In a further spine wall arrangement as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,791 (Ball), a plurality of interconnected beams disposed at work surface height are supported by vertical posts at the opposite ends thereof, which beams have a hollow interior in which cabling is accommodated. Such interconnected beams have stabilizer beams extending sidewardly therefrom which are connectable in the region intermediate the support posts. Additional patents relating to this particular arrangement are U.S. Pat. Nos. B1 4,224,769, 4,404,776 and 4,771,583. This arrangement also requires removal of furniture components when moving these components between wall sections.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the invention to provide a readily reconfigurable space-dividing wall panel system having base panels supported on a floor and a vertically adjustable modular height which is adjusted by the addition or removal of extension panels onto or off of the lower base wall panels. It is a further object that the wall panel system accommodate a variety of workstation components such as shelves and desks as well as return walls. It is still a further object that the panel system permit continuous off-modular adjustment of the furniture components or return walls connected thereto to minimize reconfiguration costs wherein continuous off-modularity refers to the ability to adjust the position of the return walls and furniture components not only continuously along the length of each individual wall panel but also continuously between serially-adjacent wall panels without interruption.
It is also an object that electrical and/or telecommunication cabling be laid into the wall panels over vertical posts therein without routing through the posts. It is further an object that the cabling be readily accommodated and accessible in a base raceway or a beltline raceway whereby the raceway cabling is routable both vertically within the base panel between the base and beltline raceways, and horizontally through horizontally adjacent raceways of serially-adjacent panels. It is still a further object that the base and beltline raceways be accessible along the length of a wall panel arrangement with individual receptacles being continuously relocatable along the length of each panel.
It is another object of the invention to provide wall panels and in particular, base panels supported on the floor which have an increased load-bearing capacity so as to accommodate the furniture components of a large number of workstations. It is an object that such load-bearing capacity readily handle the loads associated with the individual furniture components supported on the base panel, as well as the loads transferred thereto by return walls which are connected to the base panel and are loaded with their own furniture components and equipment.
In view thereof, the present invention relates to a space-dividing wall panel system and in particular, a spine wall system having a plurality of base panels which are serially connectable one with the other so as to define a vertically enlarged wall supported on a floor. Preferably each base panel has a rectangular frame which includes at least one horizontal composite box-beam and a pair of laterally spaced apart vertical uprights rigidly connected at the opposite ends of the box-beam. The box-beam is connected either intermediate the opposite upper and lower ends of the vertical uprights or alternatively, at one of the ends of the vertical uprights. The free ends of the vertical uprights have horizontal cross rails connected thereto which are vertically spaced from the box-beam to define cavities therebetween.
The box-beam is vertically enlarged and has a height which is a substantial portion of the height of the vertical uprights such that the connection of the box-beam to the vertical uprights provides a structurally strong and rigid connection therebetween. Additionally, the outer faces of the box-beam and the outward faces of the vertical uprights are thereby spaced sidewardly one from the other so as to define a clearance space therebetween.
To permit the connection of furniture components, the box-beam as well as the cross rails are formed with longitudinally extending horizontal channels, which channels are positioned outwardly of the uprights on the opposite sides thereof. The channels are free of interference with the vertical uprights while extending to the opposite ends of the base panel to thereby align with corresponding channels on a serially-adjacent base panel. The aligned channels define a continuous linear track preferably along the entire linear length of the spine wall system. The channels or more specifically, the tracks accommodate appropriate mounting hooks of furniture components such as return walls to fixedly secure the components to the base panel while permitting continuous, uninterrupted sliding or adjustment of the furniture components along the entire linear length of the track. Such an arrangement thus provides continuous off-modularity for the furniture components including the return walls.
To accommodate cabling therein, the cavities above and below the box-beam define respective beltline and base raceways which communicate with adjacent raceways of serially-adjacent base panels by the clearance space formed adjacent the uprights. The cabling is laid in the raceways and passes around the uprights. Additionally, horizontally relocatable receptacles are provided which connect to the cabling and are adapted to be horizontally adjustable along the length of each individual base panel. Such receptacles preferably are either mounted to an elongate mounting rail connected between the uprights so as to be horizontally movable within the confines of the raceways, or alternatively are disposed on the exterior of the base panel while being connected to the slide rail or the continuous track to permit horizontal sliding of the receptacle therealong.
Typically the box-beam has finished outer surfaces which are adapted to be flush with removable cover panels which enclose the beltline and base raceways so that a space or passage is provided between the cover panel and the uprights through which the cabling passes. Additionally, adjacent horizontal edges of the cover panels and the box-beam surfaces are vertically spaced apart to define a horizontal gap which opens into the beltline and base raceways and permits routing of cabling into and out of the raceways. Such cabling can be extended either to office equipment positioned within the workstation or into an adjacent end of a return wall which is mounted to the base panel.
Further, to allow for modular adjustment of the height of the wall panels, extension panels are mountable on the base panels, such as by a bayonet connection, so as to extend vertically above the base panel. The extension panel can be formed with two vertical uprights having either an additional box-beam connected therebetween for significant structural strength or additional cross rails connected therebetween so as to define a substantially rectangular frame which is attachable to the upper end of the base panels. The additional box-beam or the cross rails of the extension panel similarly are formed with channels along the length thereof which are free of interference with the uprights thereof so as to define additional continuous off-modular tracks extending along the linear length of a wall panel arrangement.